<a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/nyc">Manhattan</a> may be a densely developed, well-oiled machine, but the neighboring suburbs of this bustling metropolitan paint another picture. These spaces are littered with vacant lots, barren asphalt parking, and other signs of poor <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/urban-design">urban planning</a> -- elements that continue to reap socio-economic havoc in the communities where they are located. “<a href="http://www.buildabetterburb.org/">Build a Better Burb</a>” is a new design competition that sets out to recover 8,300 acres (roughly equal to the area south of 50th Street in Manhattan) in the Long Island boroughs of New York City.
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One entry in particular that has caught our eye comes via the design team of Tobias Holler, Katelyn Mulry, Sven Peters and Ana Serra. Their impressive submission '<a href="http://vimeo.com/13052474">LIRR: Long Island Radically Rezoned – A Regenerative Vision for a Living Island</a>' has not only been selected as a finalist of Build a Better Burb, but Tobias Holler also has a special connection to Inhabitat – Tobias was the runner-up in our ‘<a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/15/pimp-my-eco-ride-win-a-strida-sx-limited-folding-bike/">Pimp My Eco-Ride Contest</a>’ last summer! Read ahead for details on their impressive submission, which addresses issues related to developing community relationships with nature, <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/renewable-energy">renewable energy</a>, <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/water-issues">water</a>, locally-produced food, and effective <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/waste-reduction">waste management</a>.

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LIRR: Long Island Radically Rezoned – A Regenerative Vision for a Living Island

“LIRR: Long Island Radically Rezoned – A Regenerative Vision for a Living Island” proposes applying closed-loop principles on a macro scale. The resulting plan finds water, energy and waste neutrality, 100% of food is locally-produced, and the overall condition results in a 50/50 balance between nature and man-made.

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Build a Better Burb

The structures which sit at the bottom right of this image, dubbed “Bucky Domes,” represent glass-enclosed high-density hydroponic farms, which will be responsible for producing food for all of Long Island. Wind farms sit offshore, taking advantage of the natural air currents.

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Smart Cells

Smart cells follow land use logic based on infrastructure - existing LIRR stations will be the focal point on which area subdivisions are made. Densification will occur within the downtown to more effectively utilize the man-made landscape, leaving open space in the surrounding area for agriculture and habitat restoration.

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Smart Cells

Administrative re-organization based on the smart cells system brings forth a living island, with cells operating in tandem.

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Smart Cells

Fossil fuel-free transportation is the goal of the new system. To compliment the eco-efficiency of the existing LIRR, there will be restricted car access zones, eco boulevards with light rail, hybrid buses, and bikeways.

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Smart Cells

The regenerative living island will draw upon its own renewable resources and replenish its finite ones as they are being depleted - water from rain, electricity from wind, food from compost generated through from organic waste, hot water from sun, and green open space from vacated built areas.

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Downtown Hicksville

Downtown Hicksville is the model for revitalization, which follows four strategies that will alter vacant spaces and achieve the required suburban density.

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Downtown Hicksville

The existing condition - downtown blocks have been given over to surface parking, there is no activity, and no spatial definition with respect to public space.

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Downtown Hicksville

To remedy the current situation the proposal suggests transformation through: covered parking, blocks wrapped with
retail destinations, building up to property lines, and forming high density residences within low-rise structures.

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Downtown Hicksville

In conjunction in conjunction with "Fix-A-Block." the "Mall Chopper" plan will subdivide large underutilized surface parking around malls into small blocks that echo the small-scale grain of the surrounding context.

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Downtown Hicksville

The resulting typology.

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Downtown Hicksville

The central public space will be situated at the train station, where a new vibrant downtown center will be the extension of an eco-boulevard.

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Downtown Hicksville

The plan will give the community a new identity characterized by a folded landscape of public spaces that extend from the street level to the elevated train tracks.

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Build a Better Burb

Manhattan may be a densely developed, well-oiled machine, but the neighboring suburbs of this bustling metropolitan paint another picture. These spaces are littered with vacant lots, barren asphalt parking, and other signs of poor urban planning -- elements that continue to reap socio-economic havoc in the communities where they are located. “Build a Better Burb” is a new design competition that sets out to recover 8,300 acres (roughly equal to the area south of 50th Street in Manhattan) in the Long Island boroughs of New York City.